BEST OF THE REST
THE MASH REPORT BBC2, 10pm
NISH Kumar is one of those comedians who seems to be popping up on everything at the moment. He’s been on Taskmaster, Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You and The Big Fat Quiz of Everything just last week.
This is his own spoof news show, which we liked enough that it has been brought back for a second series. After the failures that were The Nightly Show and Host the Week, this is doing well for a satirical news show.
You can expect “robust reporting and up-to-the-minute analysis” from Nish and his cast of correspondents. Which actually means, a surreal comedy take on the week’s news, keeping us up to date with everything that has happened – or not happened.
“Who cares if the news is real or fake, as long as it’s shouted at you loudly enough?” Nish has said. He makes a very good point.
DERRY GIRLS Channel 4, 10pm
BILLED as a dark comedy about life during the Northern Ireland Troubles, this is as much a sitcom about teenagers coming of age.
And it’s very funny. The young cast fizz on screen as Erin, her cousin Orla, mates Claire and Michelle and Michelle’s cousin James.
The fact that there are soldiers everywhere and the occasional bomb scare is something they take in their stride. They are too busy worrying about school and boys.
In this episode the girls have been up all night cramming for a big exam. Clare (Nicola Coughlan) is panicking, swigging from her 23rd can of caffeine-infused pop.
Frankly they will need a miracle to get them out of it, and fortunately one presents itself – sort of.
“We are dealing with an alleged apparition,” sighs the brilliantly dour Sister Michael (Siobhan McSweeney). And there’s another sight to behold, when dreamy Father Peter (Peter Campion) turns up to investigate.